diff --git a/Src/GameLoader.cpp b/Src/GameLoader.cpp
index d1175ef..a3191b5 100644
--- a/Src/GameLoader.cpp
+++ b/Src/GameLoader.cpp
@@ -191,13 +191,13 @@ bool GameLoader::Region::FindFileIndexByOffset(size_t *idx, uint32_t offset) con
 static void PopulateGameInfo(Game *game, const Util::Config::Node &game_node)
 {
   game->name = game_node["name"].ValueAs<std::string>();
-  game->parent = game_node["parent"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>(std::string());
+  game->parent = game_node["parent"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>("");
   game->title = game_node["identity/title"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>("Unknown");
-  game->version = game_node["identity/version"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>(std::string());
+  game->version = game_node["identity/version"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>("");
   game->manufacturer = game_node["identity/manufacturer"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>("Unknown");
   game->year = game_node["identity/year"].ValueAsDefault<unsigned>(0);
-  game->stepping = game_node["hardware/stepping"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>(std::string());
-  game->mpeg_board = game_node["hardware/mpeg_board"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>(std::string());
+  game->stepping = game_node["hardware/stepping"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>("");
+  game->mpeg_board = game_node["hardware/mpeg_board"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>("");
   std::map<std::string, Game::AudioTypes> audio_types
   {
     { "",                      Game::STEREO_LR }, // default to stereo
@@ -210,9 +210,9 @@ static void PopulateGameInfo(Game *game, const Util::Config::Node &game_node)
     { "QuadRearFrontReversed", Game::QUAD_1_RRL_2_FRL },
     { "QuadMix",               Game::QUAD_1_LR_2_FR_MIX}
   };
-  std::string audio_type = game_node["hardware/audio"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>(std::string());
+  std::string audio_type = game_node["hardware/audio"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>("");
   game->audio = audio_types[audio_type];
-  game->pci_bridge = game_node["hardware/pci_bridge"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>(std::string());
+  game->pci_bridge = game_node["hardware/pci_bridge"].ValueAsDefault<std::string>("");
   game->real3d_pci_id = game_node["hardware/real3d_pci_id"].ValueAsDefault<uint32_t>(0);
   game->real3d_status_bit_set_percent_of_frame = game_node["hardware/real3d_status_bit_set_percent_of_frame"].ValueAsDefault<float>(0);
   game->encryption_key = game_node["hardware/encryption_key"].ValueAsDefault<uint32_t>(0);